Can recent equity gains continue through 2013?

EQUITY

Sheldon MacDonald, senior investment manager at Architas, looks at the prospects for global equities markets for the rest of 2013 and beyond.

So far 2013 has been great for global equity investors. Over the first three months of the year, all major global equity indices posted strong gains. In sterling terms, the Topix was the standout performer, rising nearly 20% over the quarter, closely followed by the S&P 500 which gained more than 18%. Closer to home, the FTSE 100 and the MSCI Europe ex UK also did well, returning around 10% each. With investors in risk-on mode, gilts and other developed world government bonds have been almost flat this year. Elsewhere in the fixed income space, good returns have been available, with...